The present invention relates to wind deflectors for trailers, and, in particular, to an improved frame for pivotally securing a wind deflector to a trailer.
Various wind deflectors are used on the fronts of trailers and similar vehicles to reduce drag on the trailer caused by the wind. These deflectors may take several forms. For example, they may be designed to inflate automatically when the trailer is in motion, such as the deflector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,015 to Klomfass. Similarly, the deflector may include preinflated members secured to the trailer by a flexible covering, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,779 to Johnson. Alternatively, the deflector may be a rigid structure, such as the deflector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,192 to Fitzgerald.
At times, it may be desirable to move the deflector away from the front of the trailer. This is particularly true if the trailer doors are located at the front of the trailer. In such situations, the deflector must be moved to allow the doors to be fully opened for easier loading and unloading of the trailer. Although it is possible to completely remove the deflector from the trailer when desired, such a procedure is not particularly convenient. Alternatively, the deflector may be attached to the trailer so as to be movable away from the front of the trailer, as shown in the '192 patent. However, the device disclosed in the '192 patent only pivots upwardly to permit access to refrigeration components, not to allow the doors of the trailer to open fully. Indeed, the trailer shown in the '192 patent does not have doors on the front side thereof. Accordingly, use of the device disclosed in the '192 patent would not solve the problem associated with the use of wind deflectors on trailers having doors located on the front of the trailer. That is, use of the '192 device would still not permit the deflector to be moved away from the front of the trailer so as to allow the doors to be fully opened.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for attaching a wind deflector to a trailer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for attaching a wind deflector to a trailer so as to allow the deflector to be moved to allow access to the front of the trailer.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a device for attaching a deflector to a trailer so as to allow the deflector to be moved away from the trailer so that the trailer doors may be completely opened.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a frame for pivotally securing a wind deflector to a trailer. The frame includes a pair of vertically extending pivot tubes secured to brackets. Each vertical pivot tube includes a swing C washer thereon which hooks about a hinge rod on each bracket. A pair of vertically extending support tubes is held in spaced apart relation by a pair of horizontal crossbars. The vertical pivot tubes and vertical support tubes are joined by upper and lower horizontal pivot tubes. The lower horizontal pivot tubes are held in spaced apart relation by an adjustable horizontal crossbar. Adjustable legs extend from both ends of each vertical support tube. Each leg is equipped with a bracket. The wind deflector is secured to the frame via bolts or similar fasteners inserted in the brackets on the adjustable legs and into the wind deflector. In its lower-most position, the wind deflector is flush against the side of the trailer to which it is mounted. The wind deflector may be raised to an intermediate position by pulling it outwardly away from the trailer such that the upper and lower horizontal pivot tubes swing outwardly with the vertical support tubes. As this occurs, a swing C washer disengaging rod on each of the upper horizontal pivot tubes strikes a rod on each swing C washer and disengages it from the hinge rod on the bracket to which it is secured. The wind deflector may then be fully raised above the trailer by pivoting the wind deflector and frame about the point of attachment between the vertical pivot tubes and the brackets. The rotation of the wind deflector and frame above the trailer is limited by a stop member on one of the brackets. When the rotational limit is reached, one of the vertical pivot tubes strikes the stop member. At this point, a locking handle may be inserted through holes in the vertical pivot tube and bracket so as to lock the wind deflector in its fully raised position. In this position, trailer doors on the side of the trailer to which the wind deflector is mounted may be opened and closed conveniently.